Birch Press Design Sept Post #1

 Hello, hello!  Hope all is well in your world.  I have a post up on the Birch Press Design blog today and here is a little peek:

With summer almost over I went in a warm and cozy direction with this card.  I hope you will head over to the blog to have a look.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day.

hello...

 Hello!  Popping in on this second to last day of August (how did it get to the second to last day of August so fast?!) with a card for a few challenges:  PTI monthly inspiration challenge, Freshly Made Sketches, Paper Players (I used the diagonal row of layers, free and bright colors.) and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge.   Let's look at what I made.

The PTI leaf stamps and dies I used are called Lovely Leaves and I think this is the first time I have used them despite having them for a very long time! (I just checked and it appears the stamps and dies are no longer available.)  The sentiment is from the Just Sentiments Summer stamp set.  I used the three required colors (Pure Poppy, Tropical Teal and Green Parakeet).   I stamped the leaves using the three colors and yes, some of them did end up a little muddy in color.  But, I wasn't too upset as that is what happens when leaves start to change colors... things get a little muddy, lol!  To get the colors blended I initially stamped the leaves in the bright green and then added in the other colors using finger daubers. Once that was done I stamped the outline and veining with black ink.  Prior to doing all the stamping I did die cut the leaves, left them in place in the cardstock and then did the stamping.  I think I got a good result.

Using the PTI Rounded Rectangles Pierced dies I die cut rectangles from cardstock in the three colors and layered the red and teal on an off white cardstock panel that was die cut with the largest Rounded Rectangles Pierced dies.  I then adhered the teal and red rectangles to the main panel per the FMS sketch.  The leaves were then layered on top and I finished with the sentiment stamped on the smallest Rounded Rectangles Pierced dies.

I'm glad that PTI brought back their monthly challenge.  Most of my PTI products are old and no longer available on their website, but that doesn't mean I can't use them!  

Well, that's it for me!  Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!

Birch Press Design Blog Post #1

 Hello!  Popping in to let you know that I have a post up on the Birch Press Design blog today.  Here is a small peek of what I made. 

Hope you will head over to the BP blog to see what I created.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day. 

grateful to call you friend...

 Well, hello!  It has been a while since I last posted.  Ten days in fact.  I don't think I have ever gone ten days without posting something.   I had thought I would post the card I'm posting today last week, but I didn't get around to making it until earlier this week.  I will be posting this to Just Us Girls (anything does with dies), Color Hues and Pinkfresh Studio August challenge.  So, here we go, lol!

A few months ago I purchased the Pinkfresh Studio Art Deco Floral Arch stamp, die and stencil set.  It was one of those buy the stamp set and get the stencils and dies free.  Couldn't pass that deal up now could I?  I used the Color Hues combo of navy and teal for arches, stems and flowers.   The challenge for the PFS August challenge is beautiful backgrounds.   The PFS background die I used is no longer available (I think it is called Sparkle Diamond), but I absolutely love it and think it makes a beautiful background for the floral arch.  I used some of the navy blue ink that was left on my blending brush on the top of the panel before adding the die cut arch.  I die cut a second blank arch and adhered to the top one to provide a little more stability.  I stamped and die cut the sentiment (cutting a second blank for the sentiment, as well) and adhered it to the card front.  I finished with some tiny dark blue gems that I had in my stash.  The inks used are from Altenew.  I used navy (appropriately), Galactic Stream (dark teal) and Teal Cave (medium teal).

Well, that's it for me.  Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day.

Flowers...

 Hello!  I'm popping in on this day before the 4th of July to share a couple of cards that I made for a few challenges.  One card is for the Just Us Girls challenge and Sunday Stamps.  The other card is for Freshly Made Sketches.  Let's have a look at the cards.

This card is for the JUGs and Sunday Stamps challenges.  The JUGs challenge is to use a die set that hasn't seen love in awhile.  Sadly, I have way too many of those in my stash!  But I was able to settle on this one from Simon Says Stamp called Sunrise Stem.  I die cut the flower and stem from scraps that I had on my desk from a few project that I had made recently.  I did add some blue inking to the flower center to give it a bit more depth.  I didn't add any additional color to the stem or the flower center.  I diecut the rectangles per the Sunday Stamp sketch using rounded corner rectangle dies and then used the largest in the set for the background.  I adhered everything to a white cardstock base and then finished with a sentiment from the 2023 Memory Box/Simon Says Stamp Stamptember stamp and die

set called So Kind.

I recently bought a set of products from the 49 and Market Faded Memory Lane collection and have been wanting to use them.  Finally, the FMS sketch gave me that opportunity.  I used laser cuts, cello tape and a tiny piece of patterned paper for all my elements.  The sentiment is also from the So Kind stamp and die set.  Super simple card.  Die cut off white cardstock, add the cello tape and then glue on the elements per the sketch.  Finish with the stamped and die cut sentiment.

Well, that's it for me.  Hope you have a wonderful day!

Simon Says Stamp Shine On Release Post #2

 Hello, hello!  Where did June go?  4th of July is just a few days away.  250 years as a country!  None of my cards today are patriotic, tho.  Just the two other cards that I made using products from the Simon Says Stamp Shine On release.   Let's take a look.

This card uses the sweet Dewdrop Daisy dies, as well as the Presto Pop embossing folder.  I used some fun papers from the 49 and Market Kaleidoscope collection to create the card.   Pretty simple.  Die cut the flower and stem from patterned paper and adhered together.  Die cut patterned paper for background and emboss with embossing folder.  Finish with the little sentiment tag and a bit of twine.  Will send this one off to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge and the Die Cut Divas challenge.

So, I don't generally buy "cutesy" style stamps, but when I pulled the Botanical Buds stamp set out of the package I was smitten!  I literally laughed out loud and how could you not?   These little guys (or gals) are just the cutest darn things, ever!  I had plans to create a masked scene, but ran out of steam as this was the last card I made.  I did do some masking of the images in order to do the ink blending.  The little buds were stamped in Tuxedo Black ink and colored with Copic markers.  I used Mowed Lawn and Broken China distress oxide inks for the sky and grass.  I finished off my little buds with some glossy accents and Rock Candy glitter.  This card just makes me smile!

Well, that is it for me.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful week!

Simon Says Stamp Shine On Release!

 Hello, hello!  There is a brand new release at Simon Says Stamp called Shine On and it is another stellar release.  You can see the entire release right here. (Using the shared links allows me to earn a small commission at no cost to you.)  Simon Says Stamp was so kind and generous and sent me several products from this release to create with.  Today I'm going to share two of the four cards that I made.  Let's take a look at what I made.

This first card was made with the super fun Tall Happy Cover die and the pretty Dewdrop Daisy set set. I fell in love with both of these products the moment I pulled them from the package and couldn't wait to get started making a card with them.  I went really simple with this card by just die cutting out the Tall Happy from white cardstock and then inking it from the bottom up using Squeezed Lemonade distess ink.  My inking is kind of uneven, but I actually really like the look.  I adhered it to a white cardstock base and then worked on the daisy.  I diecut everything from white cardstock, trimmed off the stem and the leaves and then added Squeezed Lemonade to the flower and Mowed Lawn to the leaves.  I put the flower and leaves together and adhered it to the card front.  I finished with the tiny birthday sentiment that is from the EZ Stripes Birthday stamp and die set.   Going to add this one to the Die Cut Diva's June challenge of anything goes.

This card was made with the Clever Fox stamp set and the matching stencils.   This is another set that I love, too!  So perfect for masculine cards.  I stamped the fox and then used the stencils to ink him up.  I don't have a ton of inks in shades of brown (working on changing that!), but I do have a set from Pinkfresh Studio.  I used those to give the different shades to the fox.  For the kraft background I used the new Presto Pop embossing folder.  The background the fox is sitting on was created using the Forest Background die that was release during Diecember 2025.  I finished with the happy birthday sentiment from the Clever Fox stamp set.   Adding this one to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of anything goes.  Since it is stencil week at JUGs I'm going to pop my clever fox into the gallery there!

Well, that's it for now.  I will be back in a few days with the other two cards that I made.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day.

Simon Says Stamp Always There Release!

 Hello!  It has been a while since the last Simon Says Stamp release, but they are back and better than ever with the Always There release!  I have two cards to share today that I made using products from this release that SSS generously sent to me to create with.  Let's have a look at what I made.

First up is this cutie patootie giraffe die set called Fable Giraffe.  I think this card will be going to my pink loving great niece when she turns five this fall.   I also used another new product from the release: Sparkler Scallop Frames die set.  I LOVE this die set and you will be seeing me use it alot in the future!  I die cut the giraffe from pink cardstock and then inked up pieces with Spun Sugar distress ink.  I adhered the pieces and then added Nuvo drops in black to the eyes.  I found some pretty pink gingham paper and die cut that with one of the Sparkler Scallop Frames.  White cardstock was die cut with a larger Sparkler Scallop Frames die and layered together.  I used the smallest die from the set, die cut it from white cardstock and then stamped it with the happy birthday sentiment that fit perfectly inside.  The balloon cluster is from the new Pawfect Together stamp set and was stamped on pink cardstock, some Spun Sugar was added to the balloons and then I covered that up with Nuvo drops in White Blizzard, lol!  I layered everything on a pink cardstock base.  Going to add this to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of anything goes.

This card ended up being my favorite of the four cards that I made.  This card uses the Timeless Thanks die set and the CZ Design Mod Composition background stamp.  I hadn't done emboss/resist in a very long time and thought the Mod Composition stamp would be perfect for that technique.   I stamped the background on white cardstock with watermark ink, applied white embossing powder and then heat set it.  I used Altenew's Soft Lilac ink to bring out the white embossing.  I love the soft subtle color that was achieved.  For the Timeless Thanks I used a fairly new Simon Says Stamp cardstock called Moonflower.  I love this cardstock.  It is absolutely gorgeous.  I die cut the shadow layer from white and adhered them together.  The sentiment is from the CZ Design Thanks, Mom stamp and die set.  I stamped the sentiment on the Moonflower cardstock with VersaFine Clare Morning Mist ink, die cut it plus a couple other layers and adhered both to the background.  The background was die cut with the SSS A2 Frame dies set.  

That's it for now.  I will be back to share the other two cards that I made with products from the release.  Click here to see the full release or use the link on my sidebar.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

just for you...

 Hello, hello!  I hope that everyone is doing well.  Spring is here and with the arrival of spring I got the worst cold I have had in about four years!   Knocked me on my butt cold!  This whole week has been a struggle to get anything done, but I did manage to make a card for a few challenges... only took me two days, lol!  I will be sending this card off to Freshly Made Sketches, JUGs (stencil week) and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge (anything goes).  Let's look at what I created.  

When I saw it was stencil week at JUGs I immediately thought of several Waffle Flower stencil sets that I have but have not used.   One of the sets is called Painted Flower.   I thought it was a fun and unusual looking flower when I purchased the stencil and die combo.    The large center element on the FMS sketch looked perfect to create using two of the flowers.  So, I pulled out some coordinating Altenew Fresh Dye inks and got to work between blowing my nose, lol!  I used additional Waffle Flower products to complete my card:  A preprinted sentiment strip, some patterned paper and A2 frames die set.  Simple, but given my week I think I did pretty good!

Well, that's it for me.   Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!  

Birch Press Design February Post #2

 Hello, hello!  Popping in to let you know that I have a post up on the Birch Press Design blog today.  Here is a little peek of what I made.

Hope you will head over to the blog to see the full card.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Cherry Blossoms

 Hello!   Can't believe it is already the end of February and spring will soon be here.  To be honest we haven't had much of a winter here in the Pacific Northwest.   I have a begonia on my front porch that is still green and blooming!   And because we have had a mild winter the cherry blossoms are already blooming on the Japanese cherry trees!    But enough talk about our non-existent winter I'm here to talk about a card that I made for the following challenges:  Just Us Girls (mood board), the Paper Players (sketch) and one more entry for the Pinkfresh Studio February challenge (I went with the anything goes option).   Let's look at what I made.

My sweet bloggy friend, Lisa, picked the mood board this month as a member of the JUGs team and she picked a photo of a yummy pink mug of hot cocoa.  I don't have any mug stamps, but I did zero in on the branch of what looked to me like cherry blossoms in the background as my inspiration along with the color pink.  I used the appropriately named Pinkfresh Studio Cherry Blossom die and stencil set.  I wanted soft colors so I used the residual ink left on the blending brushes I use with pink, green, brown and yellow distress oxide inks.  Love the soft look that provides.  I then die cut everything and assembled my little branch of cherry blossoms.  I used the Pinkfresh Studio postage stamp dies to create the elements of the sketch using white, pink and pink glitter cardstock.  I adhered everything to my card base and then finished with a gold foil Memory Box sentiment tab.   

That's it for me.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

 Hello!  I'm popping in to share a little Valentine that I made for my great nephew.  I hadn't planned on it, but when I saw that the JUGs challenge was valentine I decided to share it.  I'm also posting it to Freshly Made Sketches because the layout of my card is does lend itself to the sketch.   Let's have a look at what I created.

Back in the summer my niece convinced her husband to fly to California and bring home a mini Aussiedoodle that they named Coco.  She is cutest little thing and my great nephew and great niece adore her.  I was thinking of Coco when I made this card for my great nephew.    The puppy face is from the Simon Says Stamp set called Hello Animals.  She fit perfectly on top of the happy Valentine's Day setntiment that is from a very old SSS stamp set called Hello Beautiful.  I stamped her using Memento Tuxedo Black ink and then colored her with Copic markers.   I had just planned to stamp the sentiment and then place the puppy as you see it but decided to add the pale blue heart for a little bit more interest. I used a SSS stencil for the heart.  I like how it turned out.  I hope my great nephew likes it too!  Can you see the sketch in there?  Let me know.

That's it for me!  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Midnight Ride

Hello and Merry Christmas everyone!  Boy, it has been awhile since I last posted, lol!  I made a couple of things and one of them will be shared the day after Christmas, but mostly I have just been doing other things.  The last few years I have tried to make some kind of mixed media/Tim Holtz inspired Christmas decor piece.  The one I had this year is pretty simple in comparison to some I have made, but I really like how it turned out.  Let's have a look.

When I first saw the Forest Background die from Simon Says Stamp I knew I wanted to use it to make a scene with Santa flying across the sky with his reindeer.    Just a few days ago I finally got it finished.  It wasn't hard to make, but as I stated in my intro I just had other things going on.  I had watercolored some watercolor cardstock using Forest Moss distress ink and used that piece for my forest.  I painted a Tim Holtz distress square box with a dark blue pain and splattered the sides with Simon Says Stamp white splatter medium.  I then cut a piece of dark blue cardstock to fit the front of the box, ink blended on Chipped Sapphire and Black Soot distress inks and let it dry.   The background and the die cut treelines were the splattered with the white splatter medium as well.  I adhered the blue background to the box using multi matte medium and the tree lines using varying heights of foam squares to add some depth.  Santa and reindeer (a Tim Holtz/Sizzix die that was a freebie from SSS a few years ago) was die cut from a dark gray cardstock three time, layered and then splattered with white splatter medium as well.  The crescent moon is included in the Santa die set so I die cut that from silver glitter cardstock.  I adhered the moon and Santa with glue.  The finishing touch was the sentiment sign from the Idea-ology Christmas 2024 baseboards and transparencies set.  I attached the sign using texture paste.  I embedded three little ivory balls into the paste, as well.  When the paste was mostly set up I did add a little bit of Snowfall grit paste for an icy look to the sign.  

Going to add this to the Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge of sparkle and shine.  My moon is sparkly.  And to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of add a sentiment.   I'm also going to add this to the Die Cut Diva's December challenge of Christmas/Winter.  Thank you to my bloggy friend, Linda, for mentioning the challenge!

Thanks for stopping by and have a very, very, very Merry Christmas!

autumn blessings

 Hello!  I'm back with one more fall inspired card.  This one is for the current Paper Players challenge (clean and simple with foliage) and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge (also clean and simple).   Let's take a look at what I made.

During Stamptember SSS released a limited edition holiday/Christmas card kit.  As is the case with all of their kits you can buy products contained in the kit separately.  When I saw the Sparkle Season stamp and die set I had to add it to my collection.  I love leaf stamps!  They are so versatile, and my card proves this point.  The leafy stem was design for Christmas/holiday cards, but as you can see, I gave it an autumnal spin by using lots of beautiful distress inks in fall colors.  Specifically, I used Scattered Straw, Aged Mahagony, Carved Pumpkin, Gathered Twigs and Festive Berries.   To get the colors I wanted on the leaves I did multiple layers of stamping.  Some of the leaves were stamped initially with Scattered Straw and then I added more colors.  A few leaves were stamped with Festive Berries and then more colors added.  I used Ranger tiny foam blenders to add the colors to the leaves to get a nice blend.  It did take a while to stamp, but I think it was so worth it as I absolutely love how it turned out.  Die cut with the matching die and then built the rest of the card.   I embossed white cardstock with a leafy embossing folder and then die cut it down further with a SSS tag die.  The sentiment is from the SSS stamp and die set called Cozy Autumn Hugs.  I stamped it with Gathered Twigs and then die cut with the matching die.  I adhered everything to a white cardstock panel.  I created the bow with three colors of twine and did attach it to the top of the tag but didn't like it so added it to my leafy stem.  I liked that much better. 

Well, that's it for me.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Friend... thankful for you

 Hello!  Popping in to share a card for a few challenges:  Just Us Girls (die week - leaves), Sunday Stamps (sketch), Color Throwdown (colors) and Die Cut Divas (anything goes).  Let's have a look at what I made.

So happy when I saw the challenge at JUGs was to use leaf dies.  I love leaf dies as they are so versatile.  You can use them any time of the year, but especially during the fall!   Because I wanted to make a card using the Sunday Stamp sketch I knew I needed a smaller scale leaf die and pulled out a favorite from Simon Says Stamp.  I have had them for along time and don't remember the name.  Not sure if they even carry them anymore, either.  I die cut them from white cardstock and then inked them up with the colors from CTD (orange, red and green).  I used some small postage stamp dies from Waffle Flower and die cut kraft cardstock to use to layer on my leaves.   The main panel was die cut with a Pinkfresh Studio postage stamp die.  I almost added little postmark images to the smaller stamps, but got sidetracked at one point and didn't go back to that idea.  Layered the postage die cuts on to the main panel and then added the leaves.  Finished with a sentiment from a Simon Says Stamp set called Cozy Autumn.  

Well, that's it for me.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Every Leaf...

 Hello, hello!  Popping in to share a card that I made for the current JUGs challenge.  This week it is mood board week and it is a beautiful fall themed one!   I have had some lovely fall themed Greetery products on my desk since they arrived in the mail a few weeks ago and I have been wanting to use them.  So thankful for the JUGs fall themed challenge so I could finally get something made, lol. At JUGs design team member Bobby's suggestion I'm going to add this to the gallery at Time Out - Favorite Season.  Let's look at what I created.

Even though we sometimes don't have the best weather during the fall here in the PNW fall is my favorite season.  I love seeing all the pumpkins appearing at farmstands and in the stores and the leaves changing colors.   When the Greetery came out with the Autumn Harvest die set I knew I wanted to add it to my collection.  I mean just look at those pumpkins!  I was finally able to at the end of August.  At the same time I also purchased the Autumn Bliss stamp and die set.   Because they just go together like peanut butter and jelly, lol!

I die cut the wheat stalks from kraft and the pumpkins and gourds from white cardstock.  I inked up the wheat stalks with scattered straw and bundled twigs distress inks.  For the pumpkins and gourds I started with scattered straw as well and then added in carved pumpkin and spiced marmalade for the pumpkins and a little bit of carved pumpkins for the gourds.  I did also add a bit of gathered twigs to the pumpkins for more depth.  I absolutely LOVE how the pumpkins turned out!   I stamped the leaves from the Autumn Bliss set by pouncing scattered straw on to the leaves, stamping and then pouncing on carved pumpkin to some and gathered twigs to others for that layered look.  The leaves were die cut with the matching dies.  I used a Memory Box arched die for the stamped sentiment.   For the sentiment I also started with pouncing scattered straw onto the whole sentiment and stamping.  I then added carved pumpkin down to the word fluttering and stamping.  I finished with some gathered twigs at the top for the variegated look I wanted.  Again, I love how the sentiment turned out.  Now it was time to put the card together.  I used liquid adhesive to adhere everything as I wanted a relatively flat card that I could send in the mail. 

Well, that's it for me.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Simon Says Stamp Happy Camper Blog Hop - Day 2!

 Hello everyone!  I'm so excited to be taking part in the Simon Says Stamp day 2 blog hop celebrating the new Happy Camper release!  I have three cards that I will be sharing that I created with the super sweet Cute Campers stamp set.  For the release Simon Says Stamp has a promotion going on.   Purchase any item from the Happy Camper release and receive the brand new, never been release Sunflower Dance stamp set!  This promotion runs through August 3rd at 11:59 pm EST or while supplies last.  Also, one lucky commentor on this blog post will receive a $25 Simon Says Stamp gift certificate!  YAY! (Winners will be contacted via email by Simon Says Stamp.) You should have gotten here from Karin Akesdotter's blog.  Now, let's have a look at what I created. 

For this card I did several different techniques:  masking, ink blending and coloring.  I don't often do a lot of masking, but this fun little stamp set is made for masking!  I figured out where I wanted all the images and then created the masks.   Once I had all the images stamped I covered them with their respective masks and did some ink blending for the sky and ground.  I did create additional masks for the horizon line so there was a defined line between sky and ground.  Once the ink blending was done I colored the images with Copic markers.  I did remask the fire so that I could ink blend the glow from the fire.   I die cut the panel, stamped the sentiment and then added the "stars" with a white gel pen.

While I'm super pleased with how the first card turned out, this card is my favorite of the three I made.  The clean and simple scene that I created is more my style.  I started by stamping the main scene image across a panel of kraft cardstock using kraft ink for a tone on tone look.  I die cut the panel down using a Simon Says Stamp A2 frames rectangle die.  I did some selective inking of the large scene stamp so that I only had the two trees, bush and camper.  I stamped that on a white cardstock panel and then die cut it down with a tag die.  The little puppy and fire were stamped on a scrap of white cardstock.  I colored everything with Copic markers.  The puppy and fire were fussy cut and added to the tag along with a twine bow.  I adhered the background panel and tag to a card base and then added the fun sentiment that I die cut with a little banner die.  

My last card was made in a similar manner to the second card.  I inked up the portion of the largest image that featured the tent and stamped it.  I also stamped the little critter.  He looks like a little chipmunk to me.  I then water colored the images with my Jane Davenport watercolors.  Once dry I fussy cut them out.  I used a piece of left over water color cardstock to create the background.  I thought it would be fun to have him sitting beside a little lake or stream.  Once the panel was dry I die cut the panel with a smaller A2 frame die, stamped the sentiment and then adhered it to a kraft cardstock base.  I then added my little scene. 

Well, that's it for me.  I'm the last stop on the hop.  If you started with me, the entire blog hop link list is below.   Make sure you leave a comment for a chance to win the $25 gift certificate.   

Simon Says Stamp Blog 

Nina-Marie Trapani

Suzy Plantamura

Cathy Zielske

Laura Bassen

Debby Hughes

Lisa Addesa

Emily Midgett

Heather Ruwe

Sandi MacIver

Tina Smith

Hanh Nguyen

Barb Engler

Anna-Karin Evaldsson

Karin Åkesdotter

Rosemary Dennis

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!